The Songbird and the Crow
by Kat-the-Echidna
Summary: [Sebastian x Reader] The Songbird - a delicate and beautiful songstress with the purest of hearts. The Crow - the sentinel of Hell and the bringer of Death...The two are an unlikely pair, but when your feathers are stripped and your wings clipped, you have to rely on the least expected person (or demon) to help you spread your wings and fly...
1. I

_Psst! Memorize these for later..._

_(y/n) = Your name_

_(l/n) = Last name  
(h/c) = Hair color  
(h/l) = Hair length  
(e/c) = Eye Color  
(s/c) = Skin color  
_

* * *

A loud roar of applause managed to echo into your tent from the Big Top, stirring you from your less-than-comfortable slumber. The air was chilly this time of year - winter was right around the corner, but you were already suffering from the chill. You curled yourself into a tighter ball, trying to use any method that would warm your now frail and weak body. You stared out through the bars of your cage, a dead look in your eye as the moonlight slightly entered through the tent's entrance, giving you a of light source, albeit a little. You had been trapped in this cage for weeks - it had to have been one or two months by now...Honestly, you don't know how long it's been, but you do know that you have been trapped within these bars for an awfully long time. The scars and bruises that littered your body from the abuse you had to endure since you arrived were beginning to heal, but you knew that it would not be long before they will be replaced with fresh ones - how long you would have to anxiously wait for your inevitable punishment was beyond your knowledge, and it killed you with each passing second. You laid there, holding yourself while your dirtied and tattered dress uselessly clung to your body, shivering when another breeze wafts into the tent. Your vision begins to cloud with flashbacks of how you got here in the first place...

You were but an orphan, as far as the humans know anyway, and you have kept your origin a secret since your first breath. You were around the age of three or four(ish) when you arrived at the orphanage that day. You had been wandering around the entire continent of England for all you know, until you ended up in London, where local authorities found you scavenging through the trash in alleyways to find your next meal and shelter. You were then taken to the orphanage, where the caretakers immediately took you in and cared for you, raised you, loved you as if you were their own child. You had many adopted brothers and sisters there as well, all whom loved you just as much as the caretakers, and maybe even more. The orphanage itself was not the most picturesque place to live - the building was very old and worn, with many holes in the walls and floors, chipped paint, cheap furniture and hand-me-down clothes...but it was home, and you loved every moment living there with your family. You even found a Nana in one of the older caretakers and a Grandfather in the owner, both who were enchanted by the beautiful little girl who appeared on their doorstep that fateful day. You saw them as your grandparents that you never had for the first few years of your life, and they saw you as their amazing little granddaughter.

It took you a couple of years - by the time you were fifteen in fact - to realize that you were very different from everyone else. Of course, you paid this no heed when you first began to wander, for the simple fact that you were too young and naive to understand the differences between your kind and humans. It was then, when you began to realize why whoever saw you was immediately entranced by this strange little girl. Your (h/l) (h/c) hair was silky and soft to the touch, never tangled, glowed in any light, and there was never a split end to appear on neither hair. Your big (e/c) sparkled with kindness and love - a simple glance would make even the most hardened of men melt. Your (s/c) was flawless, with a perfect complexion and glow, and free of all blemishes, freckles, or any sort of imperfection of the skin. When puberty hit, your body began to show more, seemingly to have the shape that all women, young or old, desired throughout their life. Anything you wore brought out the goddess-like shape in your body - even a mere peasant dress made you beautiful, as if you were a princess that leapt straight from a storybook. And yet, even though those qualities were what made you special, the one thing that _every_one who came in contact with you absolutely adored was your voice. You discovered your talent of singing one evening after dinner; the children had gathered in the parlor where your Nana was playing her piano to entertain the little ones. As you listened to her sonata, a sudden feeling washed over your entire being. Your mood drastically changed to where you wanted to add to the melody somehow, but you did not know how to play any of the other instruments. The music filled you with such energy and happiness that you started to sing, the words flowing out of your mouth naturally, as if you were always destined to charm the world with your voice. It was then after the song, after seeing the awed expressions from both your Nana and your siblings, that you realized that you had an amazing talent for singing. Since then, every evening after dinner - and even at night - you would sing for everyone in the orphanage, and even lull your siblings to sleep on occasion. You have been told that you had the voice of an angel, one that only came around once in a lifetime. It was perfect, in pitch, pace and melody; no matter what you sung, it would always come out mystical and entrancing to all who listened. Your voice could even manipulate the emotions of others - if the melody was happy, everyone around you was happy. It was the same if the melody was sad; whomever heard the tone in which emotion you sung would be effected by it as well. Because of this, you have been dubbed the Songbird, a title that you wear with pride, yet remained humble.

_The Songbird would always sit on her perch, singing happily to her listeners...She never strayed from here, despite the fact that she could easily fly away. She stayed, content to spread her joy to everyone that came near...But there is always one person who wanted to take the Songbird for their own selfish needs - to clip her wings and lock her in a cage..._

On the day of your seventeenth birthday, the circus came. They put on a show for the orphaned children, filling their young, innocent eyes with wonder as they watched the skilled actors and actresses pull off jaw-dropping feats and amazing performances, but it was you who stole the spotlight. It was towards the end of the show, and two actors were playing a flute and violin. Once again, their melodies pierced through your soul and entranced you to where you had to sing once more. Once the melody began to escape your lips, everyone could not help but to stop, stare and listen - even those who were playing the instruments had to stop playing and listen themselves! By the time you had finished the song, you were the star of the show, earning you a round of applause from those around you, both from the orphanage residents and the performers of the circus. You were embarrassed, yet happy. It filled you with endless joy to have people who enjoyed your singing...but sometimes, it is best to not have some people a part of the audience...  
The Ring Master is a prime example.

It was the day after the circus' visit when the ring Master came by that afternoon. He wished to speak to the owner in private. You had questioned why the man would need to speak to your Grandfather, but you knew that what ever was an affair between the adults did not concern you, so you continued on with your day. An hour had passed when you suddenly heard yelling from the second floor, where your Grandfather's office sat. Everyone in the orphanage most likely heard the commotion as well, but you were brave enough to carefully climb the steps to investigate, ignoring your Nana's words to stay put. You landed on the second floor, your bare feet causing the floorboards beneath you to slight moan and the weight of your body as you tiptoed towards your Grandfather's office at the end of the hall. Upon arriving there, you see that the door is slightly cracked, where you could clearly hear the Ring Master's angry yelling and your Grandfather's desperate pleas.

"I am handing you the offer of a lifetime, but yet you refuse?!" the crazed man yelled at your poor Grandfather. "I am literally _giving_ you any amount that you wish for!"

"No amount of money will put a price on (y/n)," your Grandfather replied sternly "She is invaluable - dare I say more valuable than any piece of gold, silver, or even diamond. My decision still stands. I will not take your offer."

"Is one measly orphan girl worth losing your business?" the man sneered "You have many more scurrying throughout this rat shack!"

Your Grandfather did not falter. "Apparently that 'measly orphan girl' means just as much to you as she does to us if your trying to _buy_ her from here, which means that you are no better than me, but at least _I_ actually care for her. You only want to use her just like your other slaves in that freak show you run - just another performer to continue to bring you money. If I end up losing my orphanage, then so be it. But if it means keeping my Granddaughter, than I am willing to make that sacrifice. At least I will be able to put her in a home once this place is closed down..."

"And what of the other children?" the man pressed, a hint of slyness in his voice "Are you willing to toss away the lives of the other children who live under the same roof with her? If you care about them as much as you say, then why can't you give the others a home and just just (y/n)? You say you don't play favoritism, but it seems like there's a hypocrite in you yet, old man..."

"Th-that's not...I didn't mean it that way! Yes, it's true that I can't house _every_ child here in my home, but at least-"

"At least you get to keep her to yourself? How selfish...why do you insist on keeping her coddled by your side? She is practically a woman now - she deserves to at least venture out into the world on her own."

"But that does not mean that I have the right, nor the authority, to _sell_ her to the likes of you, you greasy-"

"Grandfather..." Both of their heads turned to you after hearing your soft voice. You had stepped into the office without them noticing somehow, your hand resting on the wooden door as you stood there before the two men.

"(Y/n)," your Grandfather stuttered, now flustered and worried as to how much you had heard "This-this does not concern you. Go back downstairs with the others, please. Mr. Conway is just about to leave."

"I heard everything," you stated, taking another step inside. You could see the fear growing in your Grandfather's eyes as you looked at him "and...if Mister Conway wants me to-"

"Absolutely not!" you Grandfather cut you off swiftly, startling you since this was the very first time that he has ever raised his voice at you ever since you arrived here. Realizing his mistake, the elder man immediately calmed down and sent you an apologetic look. "...I'm sorry, but I'm not going to allow you to go with this man and put yourself in danger!"

"...Is one life worth the sacrifice of hundreds others like me?" you ask, feeling a knot form in your stomach "Grandfather, this place will be closed down in another month if conditions do not improve! I refuse to sit back and allow my family to be put out on the streets!"

"But-"

"No one cares about a few orphaned children," you interrupt him, causing your Grandfather's stern gaze to soften "They will starve, suffer and die and no one would give a damn, or even give them sympathy while they perish out in the cold. Though it's true that a life is invaluable and not to be treated like a product, but there are other lives on the line here too, Grandfather! I...I am old enough to make my own decisions now...and I am choosing to do this out of my own free will. You may need me, but the children need this orphanage even more...So you must understand why I am doing this...they're my family too, and I want them to be safe and not have to slowly perish out in the cruel world."

"(Y/n)..." You Grandfather stared directly into your eyes, seeing the that you had already made your decision, and there was no way to talk you out of it. Despite your gentle and kind aura, you were as stubborn as a mule, especially when it came to your family. Defeated, and terribly heartbroken, your Grandfather sighed deeply before he opened one of the drawers to his desk, pulled out a slip of paper and scribbled something on it using his quill before huffily handing it to Mr. Conway.

"That is the amount I want, and I demand to have it in my hand by nightfall," he scowled.  
Feeling triumphant, the circus owner gleefully took the check from the old man's hand and sent him a false smile.  
"It will be in your hands within the hour," he said, before he turned and walked out of the office. You watched him leave, making sure that he was out of sight before you went over to your Grandfather and hugged him tightly whilst he sobbed softly into your dress. His greatest treasure, the only child he ever had, was torn from him...

_There are those who have a high respect for the many children of Mother Nature. She has birthed many beautiful and incredible offspring that are meant to be appreciated from afar rather than up close. To view them in their natural habitat rather than in the hands of humans, or even a cage or jar. But when Mother Nature births a child so beautiful, so mystical and mysterious, that humans become greedy, having the overwhelming desire to own something so rare and label it as their own. Whether it be animals, plants, or even other humans, they will go to great lengths to make it theirs. And, unfortunately, that it what happened to our dear Songbird..._

Mr. Conway surprisingly stuck to his word, delivering the money to your Grandfather within an hour. The moment you saw the swollen pouch of money, you knew that your Grandfather took a nice chunk from the circus owner's fortune. And yet, he didn't seem to care - he would pay any amount of money to have the Songbird. With tearful eyes, you hugged your siblings, your Nana, the other caretakers and your Grandfather goodbye. It hurt your siblings and Nana deeply to see you go, but the decision was already made, and there was no way for you to get out of it. Before you departed, your Nana pulled you close and whispered something into your ear...

"We will find a way to get you back," she whispered "Somehow, someway, we will free you from that terrible man. If I cannot pry you from him myself, then I will find someone who will. You do not have to come back here once you are free - let your wings take you somewhere where you will be safe...happy...No one - especially you - deserves to be put on display for the likes of him..." Before you could respond to your Nana's words, Mr. Conway summoned you to follow; the circus had packed up and were ready to leave, but where you would end up was beyond your knowledge. You told your Nana that you would wait for the time for you to escape before you hurried after the Ring Master and his performers. You turned towards the orphanage one last time to see everyone waving goodbye, fresh tears rolling down their cheeks and you walked further away. You waved at them one last time before you were put in one of the vacant carriages, where you rode alone to the unknown. As the sun began to set, you looked out the window to see that the orphanage was no longer visible - something suddenly pierced you in the chest, striking your heart and filling your entire being with extreme sadness. You were able to be strong for so long, but now, you huddled yourself in the corner of the carriage and cried softly, feeling alone for the first time in years...

Weeks had passed since that day - you have been performing in the circus just as Mr. Conway said you would, retaining your title whilst singing before a grand audience nearly every night. It was no surprise that the people whom your performed for were entranced by you, taken aback by your beauty, and bewitched by your angelic melodies. There were even times when you didn't have to perform in the Big Top - as visitors poured into the village of tents, you would sit on a hand-made swing in the middle of it all and sing. You would sit upon your perch, charming the visitors to where the entire crowd would only be focused on you - you were paid handsomely for your performance, a top hat overflowing with coins by the time the crowd had dispersed. And yet, despite how rich you would become in a matter of minutes, you would always share a part of your fortune with the other performers, and that is how you earned their highest respect, as well as their friendship. And yet, despite how cheerful and functional this circus seemed on the outside, there was indeed a dark secret beyond what most people see...You were sharing a tent with one of the performers - a fire breather who went by the name Celosia. You two have become close friends during your time with the circus, both of you having equal pasts of being orphans during the early years of your lives. Mr. Conway discovered Celosia in a small village - some of the village kids were throwing rocks at her, calling her a freak of nature. Unable to control her anger, she grabbed the nearest torch and breathed fire at them, scaring them off slightly burning another. She took Mr. Conway's offer to join the circus, but only did so because she had no place to go, and would rather be somewhere else rather than the village. She has been performing here for most of her life - she was two years older than you, being nineteen and a half currently. You saw her as an older sister rather than a friend - she has been guiding you through these hard weeks in the circus, giving you the love and kindness that you had pined for ever since you left your family back in the orphanage. She sympathized with you dearly after hearing your story, knowing that man knows how to make people give him what he wanted.

"If there's one thing you should always remember, is to never be alone with that man," she told you one night in your tent "Don't be fooled by his fake kindness and words - there is a monster beneath that mask, and many of us has had the unfortunate privilege to see who he really is."

"Were you one of them?" you asked her curiously.

She quickly shook her head, her long red hair swaying. "No, thankfully. But I have heard many a tale from the other performers about his...'fondness' for young girls. He has yet to approach me, but I fear that he may be targeting you." Her eyes softened as she looked at you in the same way that your Grandfather did that day, causing the hole in your heart to grow. "The last thing I would want is for him to take away your innocence like he did the other girls...I will not allow it, not as long as I take each breath! I will protect you, but I do not know how long I will be able to be there to keep you safe. We must escape...if not me, then you at least. I have seen Hell, and you are standing upon its grounds...Some way, I will get us out of this somehow. You...you are very special to all of us, especially me. You never deserved any of this..." It was at that moment when you realized the mistake you had made, that your innocence and purity, and possibly your life, rested on the hands of the Ring Master. It wasn't just Celosia, nearly every performer had something awful to say about Mr. Conway, and there were others who were too afraid to even speak his name to you. You began to wonder if you had any hope of getting out, if Celosia could protect you from that man for much longer. Doubt and fear began to flood to you, and you found you found yourself becoming paranoid over the next course of days. You would become very uneasy around Mr. Conway, always looking over your shoulder at night as you hurried back to your tent, making sure to always be with at least one person whenever you were out with the other performers or doing chores. Celosia made sure to keep her eye on you at all times, and always had someone else in her stead when she could not be there for you. It was during that time when you began to notice how Mr. Conway would look at you - the hungry glances he would give you whenever you walked by or made eye contact, and it unnerved you to your very core. The other performers were trying their best to look after you, to protect you from that evil man, but you began to wonder just how long they would be able to prolong the inevitable. You began to wonder if God, or what ever deity or higher power over this world, was truly looking after you, or if you have gotten lucky with each escape. It could have been either or, but you had hoped, that if it were just God or luck, that it would continue to protect you up until you could flee from here.

But everyone's luck runs out at some point...and, unfortunately, you were no exception.

_Sitting proudly upon her perch, the Songbird sang for the crowd for another day. The perch was different from what she was used to, and the crowd changed everyday, rather than being the same faces she sang for day after day in her previous home. She would feel sad, unable to see the familiar faces each day that she has grown accustomed to, to have them replaced by the piercing gazes of strangers or gathered around her to hear her songs. If it weren't for her new guardian, the fierce yet elegant Eagle who would fend off the stalking Vulture, protecting her dear Songbird from harm, she would have lost her voice long ago. And yet, despite how the Eagle tucked the Songbird under her wing, despite how she would do anything in her power to protect the only thing she had left to live for, even the mightiest of creatures cannot stop the forces that operated our world...There are times when even the Vulture will come out victorious..._

It all went downhill one night after the show. The performers were cleaning up after the guests had long left the circus, and everyone was given particular tasks throughout the lot, spreading them far and wide apart from each other. This was normal after each show, since there was a lot of space to cover, every member of the circus was needed in order to comb through the lot completely. You would be alone for only a few moments before you would eventually meet up with either Celosia or the other performers somewhere in the lot. But tonight was different...for some reason, the atmosphere was very heavy and different from usual, causing a chill to run down your spine as you swept the dirt and debris from the stage within the Big Top. You felt alone...terribly alone, just like when you first left the orphanage. But this...there was a sense of danger in the air - your conscious was screaming for you to leave this place and find Celosia, or _any_ one of the other performers that were nearby. All you know is that you couldn't be in this closed space alone...

You gripped the broom as a weapon as you scanned the area for the nearest exit, momentarily forgetting about the one that was just behind the curtains that allowed the performers to come and go from the Big Top as they pleased, so that they wouldn't become crowded behind the stage. But fear had gripped you to where your mind was in a frenzy - you spotted the exit beyond the seats ahead of you, and you carefully climbed off the stage and hurried towards the tent's opening. You were halfway down the aisle when you heard a noise behind you; you whipped your head around, only to see Mr. Conway just a few feet away from you, stalking you like the predator he was. It was then when you realized that no one was here to protect you from him...it was then when you realized that your worst fear has become a reality, and if you did not act quickly, the very thing that your Nana, Grandfather, Celosia and even the other performers tried to protect you from was about to consume you. Instinct took over as you dropped the broom and began to run towards the exit - you could hear the man bound after you from behind, but he tripped over the broom that you had dropped beforehand. It would seem that luck was still by your side; you would be able to escape and find Celosia while he was still on the ground, but the everything seemed to be in the Ring Master's favor, as he was able to grab your ankle and pull you down to the ground. You start to scream, but he managed to cover your mouth and block any sounds from escaping your lips. You felt his hands go up your dress and tug on your trousers, and it was at that moment when adrenaline rushed through your veins, giving you a new found strength. You opened your mouth wide and bit down into the man's hands, causing him to scream in pain whilst releasing you. You kicked him on his nose, his head reared back as you heard a sickening crack with the blow. Panicked and afraid, you crawled to your feet and ran outside, screaming for help to anyone that was near. Celosia was the first to hear you, and she ran to your side with incredible speed, and embraced you just as Mr. Conway emerged from the tent, holding his bloody nose. There was no need for you to explain that had happened in the tent, for Celosia had already figured it out after seeing your tear soaked, fear stricken face and torn dress. She shouted curses at the man before she led you away from him, a crowd gathering in the area, mumbling and whispering to themselves about the commotion. You clung to Celosia, sobbing softly while shaking - you have never been so afraid before in your life. You never strayed from Celosia's side for that whole night; you clung to her as she softly whispered words of comfort into your ears, her watchful eye on the tent's entrance to make sure she would see the Ring Master if he would try to come in. It was then, when you and Celosia both realized, that this was the final straw. You _had_ to leave this place, one way or another. But little did both of you knew, that the Ring Master had one last trick up his sleeve...one that would still take away your innocence...

You did not perform the next day - you were too sickened from the previous to even _think _about singing before an audience. You did not know how to hide your emotions well, and your distress would surely show if you were to go on stage today. Celosia did not perform either - she wouldn't dare let you out of her sight again. She did not say it openly, but you knew that she felt responsible for you endangerment the night before; She felt as if she had failed in her duties as an older sister and guardian, to protect you from harm's way as she promised that she would. You told her many times that it was not her fault - it was just a case of being at the wrong place at the wrong time, as well as Mr. Conway's fault for separating you two. You began to wonder if that man had planned that all along, intentionally separating you from Celosia so that he would get you alone to have his way with you. It could not have been pure coincidence that he was suddenly there the moment you tried to leave...It seemed too convenient, far too convenient for it to just simply happen at that time. You began to voice your thoughts on the matter to Celosia that night when everyone were still performing within the Big Top, only to halt your musing when the Ring Master barged into your tent, his eyes full of rage. Celosia immediately charged forward to push the man out, but he surpassed her in strength and tossed her aside before grabbing you and dragging you out. You screamed and flailed, but the loud music from the Big Top blocked every sound you made from reaching anyone who could save you from the crazed man. He dragged you into one of the empty tents, where he began to beat and whip you merciless you, cursing at you while all you could do was lie there and cry and scream. you managed to see a glimpse of Celosia running into the tent and rushing over to the mad man, trying to get him to stop and save you in the process. But her efforts were all for naught, as the man's rage managed to fuel him, giving him inhuman strength. The beatings continued, and Celosia was powerless to stop him. Eventually, some time later when your were beaten raw, the beatings suddenly stopped before you were grabbed again and thrown into one of the old tiger cages that was in that tent. That evil man locked the door with a padlock and key, before he continued his rampage onto Celosia, who was screaming curses at him and yelling for help as she was dragged off to God knows where. You haven't seen nor heard from her since then, causing you to believe the worst has happened to her, and you have been locked away in that cage ever since, left out in the cold to slowly fade away...Mr. Conway would sometimes come to your cage whenever he was in a drunken rage, to beat you again for unknown reasons before tossing you back in your prison, as if you were nothing but an object for him to repeatedly abuse. You have spent many nights crying yourself to sleep, shuddering from the pain from your scars and bruises and the cold air. Some of the other performers would visit you in secret, giving you their scraps of food and giving you comfort as much as they could, for they did not want to get caught by the Ring Master. And yet, despite the visits, you felt empty...you began to believe that you did indeed fade away at some point, and the only thing that was left was nothing but a hollow shell of what you used to be. Despite how hard you fought, despite how hard you tried to protect yourself, your innocence was still stripped away, your purity tainted by the evil man who took you away from your family...You grow to hate the man, despised him and the ground he walked on. You wish you could somehow inflict the same pain onto him as he did onto you, but you could never find it in yourself to physically harm another soul, no matter how mean they were to you. You would still be kind to them, even if they weren't as equally kind to you; it was because of this that you were admired by both those in the orphanage any by Celosia and the other performers. You were truly a pure soul, one that did not come by every so often. And yet...this man manage to taint it - any hope that you have had left was gone now...you have accepted the fact that you were going to slowly die here, trapped behind bars like a common animal, stripped away of every and anything that filled you with joy. The Songbird had lost her voice...

_Her wings now clipped and her spirit gone, the Songbird was thrown into a cage where she would slowly fade. She began to wonder, if she had done what she was told, to spread her wings and fly away, allowing the wind to mark her next destination, rather than staying put upon her perch and allow the Vulture to take her away. Was it worth saving her family? Was it worth the money that was desperately needed then? She put the well-being of others before her own, which led her to be in the state that she is in now. The fierce Eagle fell to the Vulture's talons, leaving her alone in the cruel, cold world. She was nothing more than a broken toy that the Vulture took great pleasure in tormenting, whilst tainting the beauty that she has captivated the world with. Her voice was silence - no one will ever be blessed to hear her songs ever again..._

A shaky sigh escaped through your lips, causing a small cloud of smoke to appear before you. The temperature was dropping now that it was night, and you silently hoped that you would freeze to death, so that you would no longer have to go through this pain. You began to believe that this world only sought out to harm you, slowly chipping away at your innocence until there was nothing left for them to take, where they would toss you to the side like junk that had lost its value long ago. You began to hope that Death would come to you and free your soul from these shackles, where you could finally spread your wings and fly far from the darkness that has consumed your heart. You began to wonder, as your eyelids grew heavy, if you were never meant to escape...if everything that has happened, and the decisions you had made were already decided by the Higher Power the moment you were born. Perhaps you were never meant to be saved...perhaps the Songbird was only meant for this world for a short while...

Something soft tickled your nose, stirring you from your sleep. You opened you eyes, your vision quickly focusing on the object before you. A black feather sat there on the metal floor, softly rocking in the wind. You frowned as your reached over and picked up the feather, moving strands of your (h/c) hair from your face. It was soft to the touch and had the similar shine that your own hair had, albeit a different color. You did not hear a bird inside the tent - no birds have ever come in here at all, whether they flew in or hopped in, searching for any crumbs that may have been on the ground. You were too busy looking over the feather to realize that someone else was there...You noticed that there was another presence in the tent, until the shadow looming over you slightly moved. Startled, you dropped the feather, only to see a tall, handsome man not too much older than you, looking directly at you from beyond the bars. You did not hear or see him come in, and you would have known when someone was in the tent with you - the litter and dead leaves on the ground made it nearly impossible for anyone to sneak in...So how did this man managed to slip in unnoticed? You looked at him closer, realizing that he did not look entirely human...He was tall, and on the slender side, dressed suspiciously like a butler, the twin tails of his coat gracefully dancing in the wind. His silky obsidian hair was slightly messy, yet neat, as it hung above his perfectly broad shoulders. His skin was pale and his eyes red, giving him a dark and mysterious look. An ominous aura radiated from him, intimidating you as he just stood there, staring at you without moving an inch, his expression blank and hard to read. You wanted to know who he was, why he was here, and what did he want with you. You opened your mouth to speak, but you were cut off after hearing a familiar voice...

"(Y/n), I hope you are awake." Celosia walked up from behind the man, her eye having a dark ring around it while a cut went down her lip, and a bruise on her right cheek. It seems like you weren't the only one who suffered from the Ring Master's abuse. Celosia approached the cage and slid her hand in until she could touch you, lovingly rubbing your leg as she smiled at you. "It's over, hon. You are finally free from this torment. I kept my promise, did I not?" She looked over at the man and nodded at him. "Go with him - he will take you somewhere safe, far from this Hell of a circus. I do not have long, but you will have to trust me...you are in good hands." You opened your mouth again, but no words came from it. Celosia, seeming to know what you were about to say, shook her head. "Do not worry about me. If it is meant to be, then we will surely meet again. But we must part ways for right now..." You held her hand, tears forming in your eyes as she gave you one last squeeze and let you go, slowly backing away from the cage before turning around, hiding her face from you so that you wouldn't have to see her sorrow. She walked a few paces before she paused, slightly turning towards the other man. "Give my regards to the young Earl," was all she said before she walked out of the tent, out of sight, and probably out of your life. It pained you dearly to see your guardian, you older sister, leave you like this. The least she could do was go with you with this stranger! Why...why do you continuously end up alone...? Why is everyone close to you being taken away from you? What have you ever done to deserve this? you whimpered softly, fear and sadness taking over, before you heard something messing with the padlock. You looked up, only to see the padlock in the hands of the man before you, his white gloves completely covering the lock. There was a lout _click!_ before he released his grip on the lock, causing it to uselessly fall to the ground, the clamp twisted to where it broke in half. You furrowed your brow, wondering just how a mere man could manipulate something like a padlock to break with such ease...Was he truly human? Or was that a mask that he wore to walk amongst the other humans unnoticed? Who was he really?

He opened the cage, the door creaking loudly as he swung it to the side, extending his hand towards you. You immediately recoiled, traumatized by your abuse to where you became afraid of anyone touching you. You clutched your dress near you chest area, staring at the man with fear in your delicate (e/c) eyes. At that moment, you noticed the feather still resting by your side, it's dark color perfectly matching the color of the man's hair. You began to wonder...did it come from him...?

_"Come with me."_

You looked up at him again, his posture never faltering, but now a smile was on his lips. A smile that, to the untrained eye, seemed genuine and friendly, giving others the permission to approach him. but somehow, you knew that it was all part of the mask that he wore...That smile that he used to manipulate others into doing what he wanted them to...playing them like puppets whilst he was the puppeteer, moving the strings so that they would dance the way he wanted them to, to say the words he wanted them to hear. It was at that moment when you realized, that this man was not human...because it takes a nonhuman to identify another, you concluded. you found yourself looking into his red eyes, almost hypnotized by those crimson orbs, his gaze never straying from you. You found yourself inching towards him, though you did not tell your body to do so. Something else, some other outside force was pulling you to him, but you did not fight back. As much as you didn't want to trust this man, despite how much you listened to Celosia's advice during your time knowing her, you could not find it in yourself to completely put your faith in him. And yet, anywhere would be better than staying here for another moment. If you did not fly from this prison by yourself and continue to wait for someone to spread your wings for you, you would continue to lie there and rot away into dust. You extended your hand toward his own, time seeming to slow down as the gap between you and him began to close. It was at that moment when you realized that you fate had not been decided just yet...but once you go with this man, it will be. You didn't know how, and you didn't know why, but something was telling you that he was the one who will decide your future. It wasn't your Grandfather, it wasn't the Ring Master, and it wasn't Celosia...it was you, _and _him. The decisions you make and the paths you tread from here on out will decide what will become of you down the line, but he will be there along the way, if it be by your side or telling you where to go, he will always have a part in it all.

You felt the soft fabric embrace your cold, frail hand. The smile on the man's face seem to grow wider, albeit _very _slightly to where he could hide it. He helped you out of the cage and back onto your feet, you legs feeling like jelly as you wobbled to keep you balance - it has been so long since you last stood on your own legs. With one hand holding yours and the other on your waist, the man guided you out of that God-forsaken tent and into the outside, the moon illuminating the the darkness around you. He led out away from the circus grounds, the lot oddly quiet, having an abandoned atmosphere. There were usually performers out making their nightly rounds, but tonight, there was no one...not a living soul upon the lot...it was almost as if it became deserted in the last hour...

"May I ask what you name may be, Miss?" the man asked after being silent up until now, his voice so smooth and intoxicating.

"(Y/n)," you stuttered, your teeth slightly chattering from the cold "(Y/n) (l/n). A-and you...?"

"I am Sebastian Michaelis," he replied, looking down at you smiling still "It is a pleasure to meet you." You are led to a carriage that sat just outside the circus lot; Sebastian released you as he walked over the the carriage, causing you to slightly shiver as another cold breeze passed by. Sebastian's body heat was keeping you warm, you realized, as you watched him open the carriage door and turn back towards you. It took you a few seconds to realize he was holding the door open for you, to allow you to climb into the carriage before he got in himself. You were unsure as to whether or not you should get in - what was stopping you from running in the other direction as far away from both him and the circus. But you didn't want to...you secretly wanted to go with him, listen to Celosia's words and go with this man, whom she said would take you somewhere safe, far from this prison you had been trapped in for months. There was no point in going back to the orphanage - your wings had healed and it was time for you to fly. But to fly alongside this mysterious man...where will you go? Or in other words...where would you be led to? Despite everything that you have gone through in these few months, was your freedom worth putting your fate into the hands of this crow?

"Miss (y/n)?" Sebastian said, drawing you out of your trance "I would advise getting into the carriage. You will catch a terrible cold if you continue to stand there."

"A-ah, y-yes...my apologies..." you stammered, before you carefully approached the horse-drawn carriage. Sebastian assisted in helping you into the cart before he climbed in after you, sitting in the plush seat in front of you before closing the door. And soon, the carriage began to move, and you looked out the window as the circus grew smaller and smaller, before it eventually became nothing but a speck of the past. A sudden sense of relief washed over you, allowing more tears to form in your eyes. But these were no tears of sadness, oh no, they were tears of joy. No longer will you have to suffer through the painful torment that the ring Master inflicted upon you day after day. No longer will you have to lie within the cold, metal prison and slowly wait for you demise while enduring any physical abuse in the mean time. No longer will you have to live in constant fear of the Ring Master...

Your head leaned against the wall next to you, your eyelids becoming heavy as they slowly closed. It was all over...you could finally relax...Even in the presence of that mysterious man, you were finally at peace. And for the first time in a long time, you slept comfortably - it was a dreamless sleep, but you did not care. Your body needed the rest, and by God did you welcome it. You could finally fly away...far...far...away...

_Time passed by as the Songbird laid in her prison, all hope she ever had completely diminished in the short expand of time. The Vulture continuously circled around her cage, keeping his eye on her, making sure that no one would take his new toy away. And yet, unknown to both of them, they were being watched by another. The infamous Crow sat and watched, his red eyes observing both the Vulture and the Songbird. The Eagle had came to him, desperately hoping he would be able to free the poor, poor Songbird from her captor. At first, the Crow laughed at the Eagle's pleas, amused seeing the mighty and revered Eagle bow down before the sentinel of Death. And yet, he was intrigued by the delicate Songbird...he had heard her songs once before, falling victim to her angelic melodies just like the others. He saw when the Vulture sliced his talons into the Songbird's flesh, temporarily crippling her wings to where she could not fly, before tossing her into the cage. He watched as the greedy Vulture tortured to poor Songbird day in and day out, slowly drawing away her spirit as she laid there, fading away to dust. The Crow then decided, that he will not allow the Vulture to continue his terror upon her, so using his sly and cunning brain, he led the Vulture astray as he undid the locks to the Songbird's prison. The poor girl was so weak and frail, and could only flinch to the Crow's movements in fear. He wrapped his strong, dark wings around her bruised and broken body, allowing his obsidian feathers to give her protection and warmth, before he took her from her prison, spreading his wings and whisking her off far away from the torturous Vulture..._

_Thus starting the story between the Songbird and the Crow..._

* * *

**E/N: **Should I be publishing something new right now? Probably not...but this was something that has been swimming through my head for the last week so I said "Ya know what? I'mma write this down." Originally, this started out as a little Word document on my laptop, then I started rewatching Black Butler/Kuroshitsuji...THEN I remember reading a lot of Reader x Character fan fictions as of late so I decided to make this a Sebastian x Reader fanfiction. I decided to join the little fad of those...they're pretty fun to write, actually.

Am I continuing this? Maaaaybe..? I originally wanted this to be a simple one-shot...but hey, if the feedback is good, and people want me to continue, then I will. But for right now, no, I don't have any plans on continuing. Plans might change, but who knows.

And yes, I AM back from my...two-three week long hiatus(?) - expect updates to my other stories fairly soon.


	2. II (Fixed Version)

**A/N:** Fixed it - hopefully I eliminated any other errors from before. If not...oh well. I'll just have to go back over it.

* * *

Darkness shrouded every corner of the known world, engulfing your body in its sinister clutches. You look around, but see nothing - just an empty void of that terrible color you've learned to hate. You move forward, your hand extended, only for it to brush over something hard, cold and skinny, allowing some of your fingers to pass through into thin air. You extend with your other hand, feeling the imaginary objects until you realize that they are bars - iron bars that were holding you captive. You begin to panic, the fear of being locked up in an enclosed space brings back horrible memories of the circus. You crawl around the empty space, only to be halted by the invisible bars, your cage small and round, similar to that of what holds small birds. You open your mouth to call out for help, but not a sound goes pass your lips. You place your hand on your throat, feeling a lump lodged within, keeping you from making a sound. You fear continues to grow as you continuously attempt to speak, but the only sound you are able to produce is nothing but a mere squeak, barely audible. You desperately scan the area, hoping to see any thing that would aid you in your escape. But all you see is nothing...nothing but black...black as far as the eye can see.

Yet...suddenly...the void begins to morph into hideous shapes, soon turning into the shadows of humans, the void turning from black to grey. Their beady, cold white eyes stare at you within the cage, the bars now visible to reveal your cramped space. The "humans" stare at you, slowly, sadistic grins spread across their nonexistent faces, their hunger and greed for you can easily be seen. You whimper, scurrying back until you hit the bars, curling yourself into a ball as a defensive method. The shadows inch closer, their hands gripping the bars as they try to open the cage to get to you. You feel their cold and sickly hands touch your back, startling you to where you quickly move away from the bars, only to find yourself trapped in the middle of the small cage, the arms and hands of the shadows reaching in through the gaps and reach for you hungrily. They inch closer...and closer...and closer...so close that they begin to grab at anything they can wrap their fingers around - your dress, your arm, your hair, your ankle...And they begin to pull, they pull at you in all directions, all with the intention of making you theirs.

"N-no...ple-please...stop..." Their strength increases as they pull harder, the cloth from your dress begins to rip, your individual strands of hair painfully being pulled from their roots one by one...Your limbs reaching the point where the bones will break, and eventually your skin will give way to tearing...you were in so much pain, but they did not care. They just wanted you...they wanted what ever piece of the Songbird they could grab...even if it meant ripping you to pieces.

"St-stop...! It...it hurts...!" You feel your right arm jolt towards the puller, a sickening _crack! _could be heard as the bones connecting your shoulder and arm break. The pain was unbearable, and soon, your other bones begin to break. Your other arm...your ankle...your wrist...your leg...and even your (h/c) hair was being ripped from your scalp...They were slowly and very painfully ripping you apart. You could feel the tendons and muscles slowly tear along with everything else. Your vision blurred and dizziness flooded your brain - your body trembled as you went into shock, blood beginning to fill your mouth. These people..-no...these monsters...their greed and hunger has led them into a frenzy after the delicate and beautiful Songbird trapped within those bars. They knew...they knew you could no longer sing, rendering the "song" part of your name useless. And yet...and yet...they still...they wanted to taint your beauty...your innocence...your purity...They wanted a piece, each and everyone one of them. They wanted to consume your entire being.

No...

They wanted your _soul._

These were not humans, or even monsters...they were demons. They cared not for the flesh that covered the very essence that made you whole - they were unwrapping a gift that was handed to them, but only one could claim your soul. The "frenzy" hadn't even begun...they were working together to rid the real prize of its shell, then fight over it like animals until one of them could finally claim it. You were...in Hell...

A burning pain took over your body as you felt the skin on your upper thigh begin to tear. You scream, blood spluttering from your mouth as your oesophagus fills with more of the copper-tasting substance, your vocal cords beginning to burn as you can feel them tear within your throat. You began to wish to Death to come to you, to end your suffering. And yet...even after Death, you will still be in pain...These demons will have your soul, and once a victor is chosen after the bloodshed, your torment will only continue from then and for an eternity. You were...destined to suffer this eternal torment...but at least when, you were at the circus, your suffering would end after Death. But not here...you would not have that luxury here...the pain that you were enduring would only increase tenfold. And it would never stop. Tears streamed down your face as you felt more skin tear and bone shatter. Your screams have grown hoarse as your wear down your vocal cords, the only sounds escaping from your lips was nothing but a ghastly screech. You looked up to the Heavens, your vision blurred from the tears, as if, by some miracle, someone would swoop down to save you. This was your only hope you had left...and whether or not someone would answer your call...you were willing to take that risk.

"Please! Anyone! Help me! It HURTS! MAKE THEM STOP! IT HURTS! IT HURTS! IT HURTS! PLEASE! **MAKE THEM STOP!"**

Silence.

You are suddenly released, the filthy hands of the demons suddenly release you, causing you to fall to the floor. You laid there, bloody and broken, your dead and hollow eyes still gazing up into the Heavens. You see something dance in the air above you, before gracefully descending down to you. It lands on the floor next to you - despite the pain you were in, you managed to turn your head to see that the object was a black feather. Another lands on your chest, and another lands near your mangled leg. Soon, a shower of black feathers begin to softly fall from the sky, slowly covering you in a blanket. You hear the beating of wings overhead, and a shadow passes before your eyes.

**"Oh my...what a pitiful sight..."**

That voice...you heard it before...somewhere...The shadow from before suddenly gets in your line of sight, fierce red orbs looking down into your own broken (e/c) eyes. You felt something brush your skin below your lips, a slight scratching sensation followed soon after, as if this person - or being - had claws...or talons.

**"Poor, poor Songbird...broken and torn...how will you sing for me now?"**

You feel something go under your legs an on your back before you felt yourself being lifted off the floor and into the air. You see more of the black feathers dance by in the wind, never seeming to come close to cease coming. And yet, those red orbs have never left your vision - you can barely see anything as everything around you begins to fade, but you can still see those eyes looking down at you. Did he...did he hear your cries to help? If so, then who was he? Was he perhaps an angel sent by God to save you?...No...an angel would never be cloaked in black, have eyes matching the color of blood, or talon-like claws upon their fingers. No...this was...another demon...And yet...for some reason...you felt safe. You did not know why, but you did - you were safe in his talons, you felt protected as his large, obsidian wings wrapped around your mangled frame.

**"A bird that cannot sing isn't even worth putting up for display. And yet...those who pine for beauty and hunger for rarities are willing to do such a thing. If they can't have your voice, they will claim your body, piece by piece. This is the rule of thumb for both worlds."**

Your vision slowly begins to fade, but you are able to see a smile form on the man's pale lips, his ebony locks swaying gently in the wind.

**"And to think...the delicate and elegant Songbird would easily fall into the talons of the infamous Crow...~"**

You are lowered back to the floor, but the Crow demon kneels with you still in his arms, his wings wrapped around you gently, yet firmly. He leans in towards you, your lips barely brushing against each other.

**"I can take the pain away, but I must ask one thing from you in return."** You could only look up at him, but he was able to read the look in your eyes, telling him to go on.** "Let me hear your voice one more time...and then, we will fly far from here...I will take you to your new perch, one where you will no longer have to worry about being thrown into a cage. But sing for me, little Fae...sing for me one last time..."**

He wipes some of the blood from your mouth with his finger, his talon lightly scratching your delicate skin. You started to wonder just how you were going to sing for this Crow when you have nearly burned out your vocal cords. You wondered just how this sentinel of Death was going to free you from this pain and suffering, just before you saw a sly, hungry grin spread across his lips. Immediately afterward, you feel a at least five sharp objects pierce into your back, causing another wave of burning pain on to your body.

You screamed, you screamed as loud as your vocal cords could allow, realizing that the Crow had sunk its talons into your back as he tore away at your flesh. The sadistic grin on the Crow's face grew wider the longer your screamed, his fangs visible despite your now poor vision. He dug his talons deeper and deeper into your flesh, ripping more tendon and muscle as blood covered his talons and hand. He pushed in further, causing one last shriek to escape your mouth as you felt your vocal cords stripped raw, before falling silent a few seconds entire body went limb and numb, fresh tears coated your cheeks, replacing the dried ones caked there. All you could taste was the sickly copper of your own, thick blood that lingered in your mouth whilst streams of it ran down the corners. The Crow lifted his blood-covered hand to his face, licking the blood from his fingers before licking his lips to lap up any extra as he stared down at you, a look of satisfaction evident on his face. You stared up at him with terror and betrayal in your eyes, but he only sat there with that triumphant smirk on his face. His hand suddenly extended towards you, harshly grabbing what was left of your (h/c) hair and pulled your head back until your neck was completely exposed. He lunged, biting into your neck and throat, more blood splattering everywhere as he ripped off you flesh-

* * *

"AAH-!" You jolt awake, your body trembling and your forehead soaked as beads of sweat covered it. You quickly rub you fingers against your neck, trying to feel for any wounds that were similar to that there were just inflicted upon you seconds before. You then realized that you were able to freely move your arms, legs and hands, and your hair was back to its normal state. _It was just a dream,_ you _thought no, more like a horrible nightmare..._You sigh heavily as you lie back down onto the soft bed-

Wait a moment...

Soft...bed...?

You look around at your new surroundings, expecting to see the worn old room full of other beds occupied with small children from the orphanage, the soft rocking of your hammock from your circus tent, or even the cold, hard floor of the tiger cage. But you didn't see any of that...rather than lying in an old mattress, a hammock or metal floor, you were in a very soft, with silk sheets and a fluffy duvet. Your room was large, yet smaller than the one from the orphanage, but bigger than the tent. There was a wardrobe, a desk, and even an en suite washroom, the sun's warm rays were pouring in through the window while elegant green curtains hanged from it on either side. This room...it was way too fancy for it to belong to an orphanage, or a circus. But, wait a moment...you remember something from the night before...Celosia brought a young man to your cage...he released you...led you to a carriage...So that meant - so that meant that the events from the previous night were real, and not a dream? It must be - that would explain why you are not in either place you are familiar with. And yet, that does not explain your current location; You guessed, by the high quality material and upper class setting, that this room, or this place in a whole, belonged to someone of high class, particularly that of nobles. You began to climb out of bed, before hearing a slight thud against your door, startling you to where you pulled the duvet up defensively. You calmed down, however, when you heard voices from the other side of the door.

_"If you have time to loaf around, then you should be doing work!"_

_"Y-yes sir!"_

_"Sorry Mr. Sebastian!"_

_"It won't happen again!"_

The sound of hurried feet against carpet could be heard afterward, as if there were a group of people running. How odd...You tilted your head at the commotion outside, only to hear two light knocks before the door opened.

"Miss (y/n)? Pardon the intrusion..." That same young man from the other night in his elegant black tail coat and obsidian hair entered whilst pushing a small tea cart. He looked over at you and smiled, pushing the cart near your bed before making a cup of tea. "I am relieved to see that you are awake. You have been asleep for a long time - it's past noon already." He handed you the cup - you looked at it for a moment before you took it into your hands, a sweet, pungent aroma wafts into your nose from the liquid. You take a sip, feeling the warm, sweet and slightly bitter liquid flow over your tongue and down your throat, your body thankful for the warmth and your tastebuds dancing at the rich flavor. You see him place a small tray on your lap, the only contents on it was another plate with a cake decorated prettily with raspberries, blueberry and black berries, a fork and knife on either side of the plate. Placing the tea cup on the tray, you pick up the fork, cutting off a small piece of the cake before putting it in your mouth. Your eyes widen once the cake hits your tongue - an explosion of flavors engulf your tastebuds. The cake itself was soft and moist, whilst the frosting melted the moment it hits your tongue. The berries add nice textures as well as extra flavoring, with subtle sweetness and just a hint of sour...It was the most delicious cake you have ever tasted - hell, it was the most delicious thing you have ever eaten in your lifetime! You wanted to take another bite, but there were more pressing matters to attend to. You place the fork down and look up at the man, who was still standing there staring at you, his hands behind his back, as if he were waiting for you to say something.

"U-um..." you ask meekly "if I may ask...where am I?"

"This is the Phantomhive manor," he replied "It is the home to my young master, who is the head of the Funtom company. I am the head butler of the manor - we met last night." Last night...you met him last night...his name was...Sebastian, wasn't it?

"Phantom...hive..." you murmured, the name ringing familiar bells in the deeper parts of your mind. You concentrate, accessing parts of your memory that you have long forgotten. You remembered seeing that name somewhere when you were younger, about the age of thirteen. You were on an outing with your Nana one evening - you assisted her with carrying the groceries back to the orphanage to cook supper. Once the other children ate and the dishes were cleaned, Nana gave you an object in the shape of a rectangle. You discover that it was a chocolate bar after looking over it, rubbing your small fingers over the black wrapper whilst reading the silver print on the wrapper.

_Product of the Funtom Company._

_Head distributor Vincent Phantomhive._

"I...heard of the Funtom Company," you murmur, closing your eyes at the memory, now realizing how much you wanted to go back to the orphanage "It's the largest company in England, isn't it? Vincent Phantomhive was the one who owned it. His family name is known throughout England. But I heard..." You paused, unsure whether or not you should say the next part. "I heard that...the Phantomhives died in a fire..."

"They did," Sebastian nodded, his smile never faltering "however, the last member of the family was able to survive, and he is now the head of the company and the manor. Ah, that reminds me...you will need to speak with the young master regarding what we are to do with you."

"B-but...I-I could always go back to the orphanage-"

"We contacted Mrs. William this morning," Sebastian said, cutting you off "Miss Celosia informed us of your previous home after taking care of Mr. Conway, the circus owner. She told us to keep you here and take care of you - you are getting too old to live at an orphanage."

You felt your heart sink. "Oh..."

"Well then, I will leave you for now," he said as he bowed "I must finish preparations for this afternoon's lunch. However, I will stop by when the young master is ready to see you." And with that, he exited the room without another word. You sat there, staring at the door for a full minute before you looked back down at your tray, the cake and tea still sitting there. Yes, it was true that you were indeed getting too old to live in an orphanage, but it was the only home that you have ever known, containing the only family that you ever had as well. In the last two months, all you've wanted was to go back to the orphanage and continue caring for your other brothers and sisters, assisting your Nana and Grandfather...but you could no longer go back. You were just a year under being a full adult, but did it necessarily mean that it was a requirement for you to leave home? You just...all you wanted was to be near the familiar and loving faces of those who took care of you. And yet...it was still much better than the circus, where the only person you had that really cared for you suffered from the same abuse you had to endure. Tossed into a cage like an animal and left there to rot, or slowly freeze to death if you were to remain there, whilst being under the care of that terrible man...The orphanage was far from being as posh as the manor, but it still felt like home...and now you had to live under the roof of complete strangers, with an odd butler to boot. But, no matter how bad the situation seemed, it was still a lot better than being in that circus...

You pick up the fork and eat another piece of the cake, an orgasmic shiver running down your spine as you slowly chewed, savoring each bite before swallowing. As you sipped your tea, you wondered where Celosia had went after she departed last night, and how she was doing now. You missed her, but you missed Nana, Grandfather and your siblings as well. Perhaps you should write them a letter when you get the chance - at least that way, they will know that you were safe.

And _alive_, for that matter.

Your mind began to wonder what would become of you now - you were under the care of the Phantomhives now apparently, but what did that mean? Were you going to simply live under the same roof as them, or will you work as their servant? The latter seemed more plausible; you highly doubted that someone of upper class - especially those who own one of the largest and most famous companies in all of England - would allow some orphan, peasant girl to simply live in the same house as they. Oh no, you were going to work for that right, t'was the rule of thumb for these humans. But at least, you thought, you wouldn't have to be forced to perform in front of an audience nearly every night. If you just had to cook, clean and such, then you were fine - you did that at the orphanage anyway, so it was nothing you weren't used to. At the very least, it may not be as enjoyable as singing, but you would be at peace then - it would remind you of the work back then, you concluded.

Finishing the cake and the tea, you got out of bed and placed the ray with the empty dishes and used silverware on the cart Sebastian left. You were unsure if you should just leave it there or push it outside for one of the other servants to take. Then you decided against doing that and simply left it there - Sebastian said he would be back to get you, didn't he? He could take it with him when he comes back. You began to look around the room while standing next to the cart - it was then when you noticed that you were no longer in your dress. The material felt...too nice...You looked down, only to see that your ripped, dirty and worn peasant dress was now replaced with a white nightgown. How did you get in this? You had no recollection of ever waking up to change your clothes...unless...did Sebastian put this on you himself...? The very thought unnerved you, causing you to wrap your arms around yourself and shuddering. After the...incident...with Mr. Conway, you were weary of letting men touch you, let alone see your bare body.

Spotting a robe hanging from a chair near the door, you immediately grab it and put it on, now uneasy about having any skin exposed. There was nothing left for you to do now was wait, so you spent that time exploring your possibly new bedroom. The wardrobe was (unsurprisingly) empty, the desk had a stack of paper, an ink bottle and quill, whilst the bathroom only had a toilet, sink and mirror. You figured that there was a specific room used for bathing in the manor as you looked over the small washroom. You found yourself going over to the mirror, looking over your reflection. You were still a bit battered from the abuse, but most of the bruises and scars were in the process of healing. Your (s/c) skin was still as flawless as it's always been, your (h/l) (h/c) hair was messy and needed to be washed, but remained the same. Your (e/c) were still had a bit of pink in them from the excessive crying, and the bruise under your right eye from Mr. Conway's previous blows was almost gone, much to your relief.

"I want to leave the past behind," you suddenly whisper to yourself "I want to forget the pain...the suffering...the heartache...everything. They will fade with these scars, and I will be whole again." Would you really be whole again? The scars of the past would truly fade, but that won't ensure that the void in your heart would ever be filled again. No...doubt will only keep you from moving forward; You had to remain strong, your head held high as you traverse down the path that you had chosen the moment those doors to your cage opened. No...that's not right - you had already chosen your path when you chose to go with Mr. Conway. You would have still been tucked safely away in the orphanage, the previous events would have never happened. And yet, here you are, here at your next destination after the heavy obstacles you had to fight through. You began to wonder, if saving that orphanage was really worth it all...if putting yourself through all the abuse and torment was really worth the money needed. But it was for their sake, you told yourself. You wanted your family to be safe and not out on the streets, where they would surely suffer a slow, freezing death, if they are not killed by any criminal or ruffian out there. Yes...it was worth it...the scars of the past are only proof of the hardships you had to endure to get to where you are now.

"No matter what," you say, looking at your reflection once more before walking out the washroom, feeling more confident in yourself than before "I regret nothing."

"I should hope so." You jump, startled to see Sebastian standing in your room next to the cart. It was just like when you first met him in the tent - he managed to enter your area without disturbing even the air...He just..._appeared._ His calm gaze never strayed from you, his smile as flawless as everything else on him. There was something about that smile that unnerved you to no end...You couldn't quite place it, other than the fact that you knew it was fake. But it seemed so genuine and kind...it was almost as if it was a way to purposely attract people to him, like a predator who preferred to use sly, yet cunning tactics rather than brute force. Tricking his prey into trusting him...manipulating them...toying with them, until he eventually dug his talons into you, ripping you apart as he fed on your flesh, relishing on your agonizing screams and unbearable pain. He knew what made you tick, and would not hesitate to push your buttons more than once just to see what kind of reaction he could get from you. But despite that, the real reason why he made you so uncomfortable, was that he wasn't human. A wolf in sheep's clothing, that phrase described this man perfectly. And yet...despite the obvious danger that emanated from him, despite the fact that you can clearly see the warning signs on him, you find him to be a bit...alluring, albeit a little. You were both intimidated and fascinated by this man.

"S-Sebastian," you stammered, keeping your robe closed "I didn't hear you come in..."

"My deepest apologizes Miss (Y/n)," he says, bowing to you "but my Master has summoned you, so I must escort you to his chambers."

So soon? "Very well," you say "I'm ready." Sebastian's smile grew slightly wider as he led you out of the room and into the hallway - you were taken aback at the sheer size and decor of the manor. The orphanage couldn't even compare to this place - you almost, almost felt like Cinderella, going from a poor peasant girl to a beautiful princess with a loving prince...-well, let's not go too far, shall we? You may have moved into an upper class establishment, but that didn't mean that you were, by any chance, on the same level as the owner. For all he saw, you were still just a poor peasant girl, with nothing to her name rather than her voice. And yet, you doubt that you even had that at this point. You have been stripped of everything in the last two months. Literally.

"We are here," Sebastian says, before knocking on the door. "Young Master? I am back with Miss (Y/n)."

"Come in." Sebastian opened the door, revealing a study on the other side. You both enter, but you almost pause after seeing a young boy around the age of twelve or thirteen sitting behind the desk dressed in higher class clothing rather than an adult. Could this boy really be the owner of the manor? The head of the largest companies in all of England? The "Master" to Sebastian and the supposedly other servants? As you stepped into the study, your mind started to think back to what you were told just minutes ago. The Phantomhives did die in a fire, but there was one last member of the family who survived...could this boy be the survivor, reason why he was now the head of the household, the company, and the owner to the servants? You stopped once you reached the middle of the room while Sebastian continued to walk over to his Master's side.

You looked over the boy curiously, quickly noticing his deep blue eyes - well, eye, to be more accurate. His other eye was covered with both an eye patch and some of his short, bluish-gray hair. He was only a boy, but his gaze was cold and menacing, and he had an aura of authority emanating from him. You were at least five years older than him, but it almost felt like that he was the one who was going to call the shots with you, rather than the other way around. Even if he was the head of the household and the company, it still felt wrong to take orders from a child. And yet, you were raised in a way where you had to bow down before anyone that had authority over you - your Nana raised you to be a good girl...to never get in trouble nor get on the bad side of those with power. It was the way the world worked in these times, and you had to abide by these rules, whether you liked it or not. You found yourself straightening your posture, but intimidation suddenly took over, and you began to feel belittled, despite the fact that the boy hasn't even said a word to you. He did, however, regard your presence once you stepped in, though he acted unimpressed by you, and you couldn't tell if it was from your appearance or just you standing there.

"So, you're Miss (Y/n) that I have been hearing about," he said, his tone monotone and flat "Or, should I address you as the Songbird instead?" Your eyes widened after hearing your nickname; amusement could be seen developing in the boy's eyes, but he kept his expression bland, hiding it expertly.

"N-no," you said, shaking your head "(Y/n) is just fine, sir." You inwardly grimace at the last word - calling a boy years younger than you "sir" felt far too odd for your liking.

"We were there when you performed in that slave market of a circus," the boy went on, leaning back in his chair "Fortunately for you, we were investigating an underground slave trade that Mr. Conway, the supposed circus' owner, was running per orders from the Queen herself. We were able to find out that he has been auctioning and purchasing people with special abilities, deformations, and so on from and to the higher class who were looking for something to throw peanuts and laugh at. You were no exception, obviously. However, you had caused quite a commotion when you were performing - you were held in high regard by all who knew or knew of you, and I believe you know why. We learned from the fire breather girl that you were bought from the Wallflower Orphanage. We contacted your caretaker once you were brought back here, and it has been decided that you will remain here until further notice. So, in other words, you will work here as a servant and will work alongside Sebastian and the other servants until I release you. I can see that you already know that I am going to be the authority over you now, so I won't bother with trivial matters such as how you will address me - I will even tolerate you calling me by my first name, Ciel. But you will not, under any circumstance, address me as 'boy.' Is that understood?" You nod quickly. "Good...in the meantime, Sebastian will teach you the basics and will give you your daily tasks, so you best listen to him. I only hope that I will not have to babysit you like the others..." Ciel picked up a stack of papers from his desk before his swiveled his chair towards the window behind him without a second thought. "You are both dismissed. Oh, and Sebastian...I want a raspberry tart for my snack."

"Yes, my Lord," Sebastian bowed obediently, before he led you out of the room and back into the hallway, leading you to your next destination in your new "home." "You will be given tasks everyday, each of which need to be completed by a certain time or else we will fall behind schedule. I do not tolerate laziness nor loafing, so I suggest that you keep yourself busy at all times, until I or the Young Master dismisses you." These people sure have a lot of rules, you thought. But you remained silent, clinging to each word that has been spoken in hopes that you would not mess anything up. You didn't know who you were more afraid of - Ciel or Sebastian. Regardless of who, you knew that they will chew you out of everything if you made one slip up. You've already been through enough...that was the very last thing you wanted to go through again. Eventually, Sebastian leads you into the bathroom, confirming your speculation that there was a specific room in the manor that was for bathing only. It was when you looked at the glistening ivory tub that you realized that you haven't bathed in more than a month - you were craving a nice, long bath, and you became a bit self-conscious of your hygiene...Hopefully you didn't smell too bad...

"Do I start today?" you ask, looking back at Sebastian, who was placing a few towels on an end table next to the tub.

"Only if you want to," was his reply as he stood up and looked at you, that smile still on his lips. You never hated seeing someone smile before..."Now, I will have Mey-Rin bring you a change of clothes. In the meantime, I suggest bathing before you begin working." He was implying that you smell, but making it as subtle as possible. "If you need anything, please come find me." He bowed again, then left you alone in the fairly large bathroom. You stood there for a few moments before sighing softly and turned towards the tub. You started running the water, making sure it was particularly warm - you still had chills from when you were trapped in the cage, even though you slept in a warm bed and even stayed in a warm building. You stared into the water as the tub slowly began to fill up, your thoughts beginning to wander yet again. You undress, then step into the tub, the warm water feeling heavenly on your bare skin. As you relaxed and laid your head back on the side of the tub, you couldn't help but to wonder how you managed to get yourself in these situations.

You sigh, looking up at the ceiling as your thoughts begin to cloud your mind. You had...no regrets, right? And yet...you still as though you should have never ended up here in the first place. But another part of you tells you that this outcome had already been decided, but you were the one who held the power to cause these events to happen. And yet, you wonder...you wonder if you even left your cage...In a way, you did, but you were only moved to another one, one much bigger and luxurious than the previous one. The orphanage was a cage as well, you thought. Despite how much everyone there loved you, despite how they never wanted to hurt you, despite how they cherished you more than any earthly possession, they still kept you within a cage. Your Nana and Grandfather kept you coddled there, afraid of letting you out into the world where they believed their precious Songbird would get hurt. They caged you because of their own insecurities, afraid that, once the door to the cage was open, you would fly away and never returned. So they clipped your wings the moment you arrived there, crippling your ability to leave.

And, because of this, they domesticated you to where you relied on other humans to care for you, much like a pet dog or cat. You were no different then them - the only difference is that you have been transferred from owner to owner up until now, where you found yourself within yet another cage. But this time...you were not alone - another bird is collared to a human as well, but he was not domesticated, despite being trained. His wings were clipped, for a while, until he taught himself to fly again. You, on the other hand, chose not to train yourself and continued to rely on the humans to be your wings, just as any other animal would after being held in captivity for so long. That's when you realized...that they were not the ones keeping you from spreading your wings...You were. It was all you, little did you know. But now...you realize...that other bird...could he really teach you to fly again? Could the Songbird...truly trust the Crow...?

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**E/N: **I'm hoping the paragraphs were spaced better in this one. I tried, though.


	3. III

**A/N:** Mother of god, I finally updated. And as a bonus, I fixed the last chapter and uploaded both at the same time. I spent a _lot_ of time on this chapter, so I hope you readers appreciate it.

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"Hmm." You furrowed your brow as you examined yourself in the mirror - you twirled a couple of strands of hair between your index finger and thumb, slightly frowning at the split ends that were developing. "I need a trim..." You sighed, before exiting the washroom and back into your bedroom, your maid's uniform folded neatly on your bed with a pair of boots sat under it, waiting for you. It was similar to Mey-Rin's, design and color wise - the only differences were that the apron was cut at the waist, leaving everything up to your chest exposed, the shoulders were less rounded and more modest compared to Mey-Rin's, a (e/c) ribbon tied under your collar to match your eyes, and you had a cute, dainty bow to go with your apron. You began to think back to when you first acquired this dress; The Young Master had called in his tailor (what was her name? Nina...Hopkins or something like that? You honestly forgot) to make you a custom uniform for you and you only. That tailor was a bit strange - she was passionate about her work, yes, but she could not for the life of her keep her hands off of you. She fawned over you the moment her eyes met yours, and that day turned out to be a very uncomfortable one indeed. You didn't like to be touched already due to the incident back at the circus, and to have someone else, another woman, at that, make many attempts to lay her hands on you...You shuddered at the thought as you adjusted your ribbon while standing in front of the mirror next to your bed. You began to hate how people were captivated by you - you've reached the point where you just wanted to be left alone and not be bothered by anyone, out of fear that they will begin to obsess over you and trap you once again.

Which is why you swore to never sing again.

Yes, your voice was what made you who you were, what made you stand out like a dove among a flock of robins. And yet, despite how those same robins envied you for the fact that you were different and still desired, you began to envy the robins, wishing that, for once, you could just blend in and not be noticed right away. That you could easily join the flock and not be noticed because you were different, but noticed because you were new the group, where you would be accepted in an instant. But no - that was not the case with you. And you started to slowly hate yourself because of it. And yet...no matter how you envied them, you also loathed most of these humans with every fiber of your being. _What a pitiful life you live,_ you thought to yourself, pinning your hair in a ponytail, only letting a few strands hang from your temples. You adjusted your apron, dusted any stray dust or lint from your dress, and walked out the door, heading towards the main part of the mansion to perform your daily duties. You now resided in the servants' quarters once you began your training - you didn't mind the plain design of the room, though you knew many would have frowned upon the sudden downgrade. But, compared to your previous living quarters, the plain servant room was a luxury.

The hour was early and the mansion was quiet; the sun could still be seen rising up from the horizon, indicating that a new day was here. A fresh blanket of snow glistened in the sun - last night's snow fall was a heavy one indeed, but that's how winter was this time of year. You began to dread the thought of going outside as you began to make your rounds around the manor - the other servants had to meet up in the kitchen for their daily instruction soon enough, but you were an exception. Sebastian (supposedly) saw the potential that you had during your training, and decided that you did not need any further instruction regarding what you had to do everyday. Your tasks were simple - whatever needed to be cleaned or done, you cleaned or do it. Simple, yes? Well, it would be simple if that was actually your job...but in reality, you've become the babysitter for the other three servants. You cursed your own helpful nature for that one; after stopping Mey-Rin, Bardroy AND Finnian from creating a few disasters on more than one occasion, Sebastian decided that it was time for you to take the reins watched them in his stead. But, in all honestly, he was tired of cleaning up their messes and decided to put it on you now that you were here.

Bastard.

"Hahh...busy, busy..."

It wouldn't be long before the other servants were up if they weren't already, so you had be quick about getting your jobs done before some sort of accident happened that required your assistance. Your routine was simple: start on the lower floors and work your way up - everything in the courtyard and garden was last, for the simple fact that you wanted to prolong going outside as much as possible. You didn't know how Finny could be out there in that kind of weather to begin with, but that was a gardener's duty. Besides, from what you've heard, Finny's been through worse. As a matter of fact, they _all_ have been through something awful before Ciel took them in as his servants, which included you as well. But you couldn't say the same for that damned butler...And then you began to think...something about him disturbed you to your very core - a chill that erupts down your spine whenever he is around. You have felt this before, a long time ago, but it was familiar. But _why_ did these feelings come to you whenever he was around? You knew...you somehow knew, from the moment that you saw him, that he wasn't human, but that didn't explain exactly "what" he was exactly. And it bothered you - it really bothered you that you couldn't solve the mystery behind that man, why you loathed his presence, but was fascinated by him at the same time. You didn't want to be, though - you didn't want to be anywhere near him, for you feared for your own well-being.

You picked the duster from its hook from the linen closet and continued down the hall, counting down the seconds when the other servants would be up and moving about, dreading the thought of babysitting them yet again. Not that you didn't like them - Bardroy, Finnian, Mey-Rin and Tanaka were the closest friends and family that you have right now. Sure they were a trio of clumsy oafs, but they were still good people deep down. Good people who, just like you, suffered back in the past, and are trying their best to move forward with this "new life" as the young master's servants. You paused slightly, the soft feathers of the duster just barely touching the smooth surface of a vase. The young master...Ciel...that boy was a mystery to you. How was he able to inherit his family's fortune at such a young age? And why hasn't anyone really looked into it? 'Course, it was none of your business - you were just another maid, but you couldn't help but to wonder...This manor held many secrets, and you hoped you won't uncover the more darker ones whilst you were there.

In just an hour, you managed to take care of the chores on the entire lower floor. If it were any other human it would have taken them longer...but you, you were not exactly human. Ah, then again, no one has to know that. As long as you concealed your true identity...as long as they never found out...you were safe.

_"Conceal, don't feel."_

From as far back as you could remember, the day you were old enough to walk and talk, your mother, shortly before she was slaughtered, taught you how to hide yourself amongst the humans. As long as you consumed a healthy amount of Ambrosia every few months, you could hold up this guise...this mask that you had to wear for most of your life would still be present, and never falter. And yet, you began to wonder...if the "mask" was beginning to meld with the wearer. But, oh, as much as you admired, and were even fascinated by these humans, you couldn't help but to loathe them all the same. But it wasn't just you - your mother, and most likely the entire colony felt the same way. What they had done to your ancestors many centuries ago...they could never be forgiven. That is why...you could never reveal who you really were. But keeping the Powder from going everywhere was another problem.

_"Don't let them know."_

They would never understand...and even if they did, it's better to be safe than sorry. No matter how close you become to anyone - your Grandfather, your Nana, your brothers and sisters, Celosia, or the other servants...they could never know, no matter what. That is...what you were taught, and you will continue to live by those words until the day you draw your last breath. You will take this secret to your grave, and eliminate anyone who ever found out. Yours was a harsh lifestyle, but that is the way it has to be, for one such as yourself. But in the end, it really didn't matter...because by the time you have lived your final minutes, you would only be known as the maid who served at the Phantomhive manor.

Nothing more.

Nothing less.

You pass the double doors that led out to the garden, glancing at them as a picture of the snow-covered garden flashed in your mind. You honestly didn't like going out into the snow, but some fresh air would be nice...Besides, if you were right, one of the other servants will cause an accident fairly soon. And you didn't feel like cleaning up none of their messes today...besides, the horses needed to be checked on. Grabbing your shawl, a pair of gloves and your hat, you walk out into the garden, a cold breeze immediately greeting you once the doors open. You shiver at the cold and grip your shawl as you step out into the fresh blanket of snow, hearing a satisfying _crunch_ of the snow beneath your boots as you trek over to the stables where the young master's horses were kept. You enjoyed being with the horses whenever you wanted to be alone...in fact, you loved all animals. You seemed to get along better with woodland creatures such as rabbits, squirrels, deer, small birds and even foxes. You learned this after spending countless hours playing in the woods behind the orphanage back in your youth. And even as you grew older there, you would sneak out back into those woods and sing the to animals there. They would always gather around you and listen as you sat on that branch, serenading them with your angelic melodies. What you would give to live those moments again...but, alas, you cannot.

The stables rested at the edge of the manor just near the entrance to the backwoods where the young master hunted game. You push open the door to the stables, the familiar smell of hay and the horses' hide greeted you upon entering. You walked down the aisle, stopping to look into each stable that kept a horse. For the most part, they seemed fine - their stables were clean, they had plenty of food and water, and they have been brushed recently. Undoubtedly the work of Sebastian...not that it entirely mattered. You only use that excuse to check on the horse to see a particular horse near the back. You approached his stable, looking in and smiling at the white stallion eating his daily meal of hay. He takes notice of your presence, his ear turning towards the sound of your feet in the snow as he lifts his head up, still chewing hay.

"Hello Richard," you cooed, giggling as the stallion nuzzled you. "Sorry I haven't been able to visit you as of late...I've been busy back in the manor." Richard whinnied softly as he nods, knowing that both Ciel and Sebastian work the servants in that house day and night, if they could. Your smile grows wider as you lovingly rub his head, enjoying the feel of Richard's soft fur between your fingers. You stay for a few minutes, your head gently resting on Richard's before you withdraw and look up at him sadly. As much as you wanted to stay here forever, you knew you couldn't - the last thing you wanted to was further annoy Sebastian by being out here and not doing your chores.

"I better go," you say, stepping away from the stable "but I'll come back with some apples next time I come, okay? I know they're your favorite." Another whinny from Richard, which causes you to smile before you wave at him and swiftly exit the stable. You had to get back to the manor, or at least look like you're doing something out here if you happen to get caught. You could hear Finny's loud humming from somewhere deep within the garden. He was most likely in the process of obliviously destroying the garden. Again. Something was going to be broken or dead by the time Finny's done with it - the only question is what would be the object, or plant, that would end up suffering by his hands. In a way, you couldn't help but to feel sorry for Finny; He never tries to destroy everything he touches, but the boy simply couldn't help it. You have tried teaching him how to be more careful, but sometimes his own excitement gets the better of him, so your teachings may have been in vain...That probably wasn't really the case, but with the garden ending up like a dead wasteland two or three times a week, you start to have second thoughts.

Oh well. "Back to work I suppose..."

You begin to head back to the manor, but you suddenly pause and turn towards the entrance to the woods. It's been so long since you went in there...to be with the animals and let them hear your songs, but you were in no position to do that now, especially not in the middle of doing your chores! But you could hear them...the animals and even the forest itself, calling out to you to come back to them. You were born in the woods, and lived with your colony for those few shorts days that you were there with Mother. But you had to leave the sanctuary of the endless rows of trees and nature when the two of you were forced to flee the day while most of your colony was slaughtered. However...despite how you remembered those days you traveled with your mother, those short days you spent withing the colony and even with your race, you could not remember just _who_ slaughtered them in the first place. Perhaps it was a memory you repressed to the back of your mind after having suffered something so traumatic at such a young age. And even if you did remember who was responsible, what good would it do? You were, by no means, a person who sought out revenge; you could never bring yourself to harm another no matter how much they have harmed you. You would never forgive them, but you would never harm them...you were...too gentle...

_"As gentle as a rose petal in the spring breeze."_

A frown appears on your lips just before you shake your head to repress those thoughts and memories. It was all in the past...they can't hurt you anymore - all you can do is move forward. Your gaze falls back on the entrance, the urge to enter growing stronger with each second. But you never got in trouble - you were always on time, did your chores and helped everyone else like the good girl that you were. The only time that Sebastian really scolded you was when you were training...and those were gentle scolds._ Just this once,_ you thought_ just this once,_ _I want to feel that same blissful happiness that filled my heart with joy. Even if it were for today only...just...one more time..._

Your body turns, and you begin to walk into the entrance as if being lured in by some outside force. The aura of the forest and its animals begin to fill your entire being, and you find yourself smiling as you continue to walk deeper. You look around, admiring the snow covered trees and the crisp, cold bitten air that radiated the area. The animals were silent, hiding away in their homes safe away from the cold and snow, but you didn't mind their absence. To you, they were still there in spirit - you could feel their individual auras everywhere, even if they could not be seen. It was just like when you were back in the orphanage...and even back when you were still in the colony. A sudden surge of joy hits you and you twirl in a small clearing, causing some of the snow to dance in the air by the sudden breeze. You close your eyes, letting that same bliss come to you, and suddenly, your lips begin to move as a very familiar melody escapes through them...

_"Come little children, I'll take thee away,_

_Into a land of enchantment,_

_Come little children, the time's come to play,_

_Here in my garden of shadows~"_

A squirrel up in one of the trees scurries to the end of the branch, causing snow to fall to the ground as it watches you. Two deer, a buck and doe, poke their heads out from the shrubbery while a small family of rabbits hop into view. A few chipmunks, small birds, a young bear and even the cat that lives at the manor come into the clearing. You don't notice them being there since you are concentrating on singing, but they draw closer to you as you continue.

_"Follow sweet children, I'll show thee the way,_

_Through all the pain, and the sorrows,_

_Weep not poor children, for life is this way,_

_Murdering beauty and passions."_

The animals follow have formed a sort of circle around you as you continue to sing, listening intently. However, unknowingly to both you and them, another listener enters the clearing, but he stays back out of the view of the animals. His brow furrows as he watches the scene, how a normal human girl like herself could draw so many creatures to her with just her voice. And yet, as he listens, he couldn't help but to be drawn to it as well, but only a bit. He was, he realized, privileged enough to hear the famous Songbird for himself.

_"Hush now dear children, it must be this way,_

_To weary of life, and deceptions,_

_Rest now my children, for soon we'll away,_

_Into the calm, and the quiet__-"_ The sound of crunching snow draws the attention of the animals, causing them to flee and scatter back into the woods. The sudden noise also causes you to stop your song shortly before it was finished, only for you to freeze once you turn to see Sebastian standing a few feet from you. _Was he there the entire time?_ You feel the lump develop in your throat as that terrifying chill runs down your spine; you were caught loathing around out here in the young master's hunting grounds, serenading your new animal friends, no less. This was the very first time that you have done anything else besides your chores, let alone being caught! You knew you were in trouble, but how much trouble you were in would determine what kind of punishment you were going to have.

"My, my...so _this_ is what you have been doing in the last hour," the man mused, a taunt clearly evident in his voice. He placed his forefinger and thumb on his chin as he glanced at you, that damned smile spreading on his lips as if he was amused by the whole thing. "You have quite a way with animals, don't you? Perhaps you could tame the wild mutt we have back at the manor."

Tame Pluto? You shuddered at the very thought of that...or it could have been from the cold...or the fact that you possibly in a lot of trouble...you honestly didn't know what you were shuddering from at this point.

"I...I-I was just...um..." you stuttered, unable to find the words to defend yourself. You lowered your gaze at the snow covered ground in shame. "...I have no excuse..."

"This is the first time you have ever disobeyed my orders, (y/n)," Sebastian says, his tone and expression now serious "but seeing as how you haven't caused any trouble, it would be wrong to punish you. However, I will let it slide just this once. I hope it won't happen again."

"Yes sir..." The black cloaked butler leads you back to the manor, both of you not exchanging words during the trek back. You hurry back into the manor once your feet landed on the stone steps leading back inside, Sebastian disappearing to wherever he was needed. Your face was burning up from the embarrassment of being caught, and you didn't need a mirror to know that her face could be seen in space by how bright red it was. You headed up to the second floor to continue your work, hoping to distract yourself from the previous events. You past the doors that had a guest room on the other end, spotting Mey-Rin inside cleaning the room. You offer to help, and she gladly accepts as you proceed to change the sheets to new, fresh ones. It didn't take Mey-Rin long to notice the blush on your face and asks about it. You weren't the one to lie (too much), so you tell her that Sebastian heard you singing while you were doing your chores.

"Sebastian makes me blush too," Mey-Rin gushes, a hot flush beginning to develop on her face as her thoughts drifted to the black butler. "He's so handsome and perfect! B-but I always become such a clutz around him...I want him to notice me but I think I only annoy him..."

_If only you knew._ "I don't think so," you say with a smile "Sebastian just has so much to do. He's only one person, after all. He has to look after the young master and the entire household."

"Mmm...I guess you're right," she says "And he has to look after us too...we always make such a mess and he has to clean up our messes...But since you came here, it seems like Sebastian has less work to do! I believe he's glad to have you around, just like we are!"

The only reason he was glad to have you here was so that he didn't have to babysit Mey-Rin and the others - he's passed that job to you now that he's seen you're more competent and responsible than them. But, at least you weren't being worked like a slave or had to fear for your life everyday...well, except when when Bard's in the kitchen, but that was another story. But at least, with them, you were with people who, for the most part, genuinely cared about you. This was your new life...and it's been like that for the last two months. You only hoped that it would not change any time soon...but with Sebastian seeming to watch your every move, you wonder how long you could hold up this farce until a secret of your very own will be discovered.

* * *

**E/N: **Biggest complaint that I've received was the fact that I didn't space out my paragraphs well enough in the last chapter (which is fixed, by the way), so I've tried to be more considerate and space them out more here. I hope I did a better job than before.

I made two movie references up there - one's kinda old and the other's pretty recent. I'm sure you all know where both came from, but hey, there are a lot of movies I haven't seen yet, so I don't blame you. I added them in because I thought they would be fitting to put there.

This chapter's probably shorter than the last ones but...I actually took the time out to plan this one and go over it more than once. I will admit that I rushed through the last one for the simple fact that I was pressed for time and I wanted to get it up, so I apologize for that mistake. Hopefully this will make up for it.


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